Public Statements

Issue Position: 2020 Vision

Issue Position

Just as corporations rarely think beyond quarterly profits, politicians are usually only thinking as far as the next election. Hit on a couple of trendy issues, get the votes, stay in office. But what this lacks is any long-range planning.

Instead we need a 2020 vision, and I don't mean we need to take a trip to the eye doctor. I mean that we need to have an idea of how we want our country, our community, and our lives to be in the year 2020 and start working toward making that happen.

We need to open new markets around the world for the farmers of northern Missouri, help families hold onto their farms, and help young farmers get started!

We need to let our teachers get back to the job of teaching, provide them the resources they need, and not burden them with responsibilities beyond the classroom!

We need to keep the promises we made to our military veterans. And we must send our current military personnel into combat for national security purposes only!

We need to keep the promises we made to seniors who worked all their lives, played by the rules, and now depend on Social Security and Medicare! A voucher system is not what we promised.

We need our highway system and postal service to remain public institutions!

We need to balance the federal budget, pay down the national debt!

We need to support locally-owned businesses that keep our dollars circulating in our own communities!

We need a strong local economy means more jobs!!!

We need our graduates to leave school with jobs not debt!

We need to adhere to what the Founders intended and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens!

We need to investigate all energy options, wean ourselves off Middle East oil, and make northern Missouri energy independence by 2020!

We need to let our past be our guide to the solutions for our future.

* We need to get back to doing more ourselves. * We need to save, protect, and preserve more. * We need to get our communities growing again. * We need to make northern Missouri a place where young people want to stay, work, and raise families.

I don't promise simple solutions. The problems we have didn't come about overnight. They've been a long time in the coming, and no quick fix will get us out. The way out demands determination, dogged persistence, and stamina.

We have to look at the big picture. We have see how each piece of legislation introduced, no matter how reasonable, logical, or harmless sounding, fits into a larger scheme of action. We must weigh the long term consequences. With everything we do, we must ask ourselves if this action helps put us on the course to the future we want for our children and grandchildren.

We must keep in mind our vision of how we want 2020 to be with each decision we make today

Northern Missouri is a great place to live. Let's make it even better.